Kentucky Rifles

"Kentucky rifle" (or long rifle) is a generic term given to an early group of firearms that have rifling in the barrel. "Rifling" refers to spiral grooves bored into the inside of the barrel of a gun causing the ball or bullet to be more controlled and stable. With the plain musket barrel, there was no need to take time to aim accurately, because the shot was unlikely to come out in a straight line or pattern. Therefore, men would just point in the general direction and fire. This is why the soldiers usually fought in formations out in the open. Rifling eventually changed all this.

This type of firearm is believed to have been developed in the Pennsylvania frontier by German gunsmiths in the early 1700's. The other colonies quickly copied them. Those in the Appalachian mountains continued to manufacture the Kentucky rifle well into the 20th century. Marksmen from western Virginia and North Carolina, and those from eastern Tennessee quickly gained a reputation for being some of the best. This weapon would become helpful during the Revolutionary War and enabled the colonist to adopt some of the guerrilla tactics they'd learned from the Indians. Shooting abilities of the backwoodsmen aided the Patriots in winning the Battle of King's Mountain, which greatly boosted their morale.

Today, you can still find some sites that make Kentucky rifles by hand, like the early ones. At Old Salem in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, you can buy one for around $3,000. Even if you don't want to buy one, a visit to the gunsmith's shop is interesting and fun. Check for one in your area.

Most of my novels in the Appalachian Roots Series include something about a Kentucky rifle. When we got to the appropriate time period, I always taught my history students what they were. Yet, I still find many readers who don't understand what the term means. Even if you do know, I hope you find this blog and the photos interesting.

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